GUWAHATI: The 2025 ICC Champions Trophy will return after an eight-year hiatus, with the opening match between hosts and defending champions Pakistan and former champions New Zealand on Wednesday, February 19 at Karachi’s National Stadium. The tournament, which runs until March 9, will feature the top eight men’s national teams, all qualified from the 2023 Cricket World Cup.
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India, due to ongoing security concerns preventing travel to Pakistan, will play all its matches at neutral venues in Dubai, including potential knockouts if it qualifies.
This marks a historic moment for Pakistan, as it hosts its first global tournament since co-hosting the 1996 Cricket World Cup with India and Sri Lanka. Pakistan was awarded the hosting rights for the 2025 Champions Trophy on November 16, 2021, as part of the 2024–2031 ICC men's hosts cycle. The United Arab Emirates was named a co-host due to India's refusal to travel to Pakistan.
The eight participating teams will be divided into two groups of four, each playing three matches within their group. The top two teams from each group will then advance to the knockout stage, consisting of two semi-finals and the final. A total of 15 matches are scheduled over the 19-day tournament, which is a quadrennial One Day International (ODI) event organized by the International Cricket Council (ICC).
